Courses and Reading Groups

International Legal Studies Courses and Reading Groups by Name
International Legal Studies Courses and Reading Groups by Faculty Member
International Legal Studies Courses and Reading Groups by Subject Matter

HLS students may draw on the more than 400 offerings at the Law School, including more than 85 courses and reading groups in which international, comparative, or foreign law plays an important role. Scores of students also take part in law clinics focused on international matters. Many courses reach far beyond the pages of a casebook and provide students opportunities to learn about issues in unique and powerful ways.

For example:

• Online Law and Business in a Globalized Economy (Professor of Practice Urs Gasser) examines the legal implications of seismic shifts at the intersection of law, technology, and new business models, based on recent cases and developments. Because online businesses operate in a global environment, students discuss statutory and case law from both the U.S. and Europe.
• In the Workshop on Crime and Criminal Justice Reform in Global Context (Dr. Todd Foglesong, Harvard Kennedy School of Government), students use readings, discussions, and work in small groups on practical reform projects on behalf of governments collaborating with the Kennedy School’s Program in Criminal Justice Policy & Management. Students are able to compare strategies for controlling crime and delivering justice in many different countries, and examine the work of international development organizations in promoting justice, safety, and the rule of law.
• Armed Conflict and Humanitarian Protection (Ms. Bonnie Docherty) is a clinical seminar which features a practice component through the International Human Rights Clinic. Through reading relevant literature and participating in class discussions, students assess the promises and limitations of a wide spectrum of strategies to advance civilian protection during and after armed conflict, and use role-playing exercises on fact-finding, media work, and treaty negotiation to practice skills needed to work in the field.

In addition, HLS hosts a wide range of visiting faculty and lecturers during the academic year.

The Law School also provides an array of opportunities for students to conduct research or study abroad, and take classes elsewhere at Harvard University, the Fletcher School at Tufts University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, through cross-registration and enrollment in joint degree programs. The HLS Academic Affairs Office provides descriptions of sample courses of study for several areas of focus within international and comparative law, which also includes links to cross-registration courses possibly of interest at the aforementioned schools.